Shrimp, Avocado and Tomato Pasta Salad

This shrimp, avocado and tomato pasta salad is a dish that I threw together the other day when I was trying to figure out what to do with the ripe avocado that we had sitting around. I wanted to try something new but didn't have anything particular in mind, so I used the avocados as a starting point and tried to figure out what would taste good with it. We had cooked shrimp in the freezer and a couple of pints of ripe grape tomatoes, so I decided to throw those ingredients together into a quick pasta salad.

Tomato and Chickpea Quinoa Salad

Hi everyone! Sorry (again) for being away for so long. Life with a baby has been more hectic than anticipated so I haven't had my act together enough to blog regularly like I had planned. I consider it a success to just get dinner on the table so I haven't taken much time to actually take pictures in the process.

I have missed blogging, though, and with spring coming soon (or so I keep telling myself) I am making grand plans for many new projects around the house and kitchen and am going to do my best to get back to blogging somewhat regularly to document it all.

Tomato and Herb Quinoa Salad

I'm a big fan of quinoa. It's a grain that is apparently quite high in protein. I find it similar to couscous. It's great to make as a side because it's quick to prepare and is tasty served hot like rice, or cold like pasta salad. I recently made a simple version with cherry tomatoes, herbs and garlic. It was fresh and delicious - perfect for summertime!

Tabouleh

Tabouleh is a fresh, easy salad that is perfect for a snack or as a side. I like to have it for lunch when I want something tasty but not too heavy. There are many versions to this recipe. I don't claim that this one is at all traditional, but rather it's pretty much thrown together in the proportions that I like. I think my version has a bigger bulgur to parsley ratio than usual. Also, a lot of these ingredients are not measured out very well because I eyeball them (sorry!). The nice thing about tabouleh is that you can fiddle with the proportions (and even the ingredients somewhat) until you find the combination that you like best. I have also read that mint leaves should be added, but I've never tried it with mint - maybe one day soon!